Elevator Hug
by AiLing
Summary: Based on what should have happened after the Omelia hug in the elevator in episode 13x21 and beyond.
1. Chapter 1

**Prompt : Can you write a little fic where Owen takes Amelia home after that Elevator scene, and she lets him? Love your writing!**

 **P.s. So in this fic of mine- Owen doesn't walk away from her like he did on the show.**

Amelia Shepherd blinked back tears as she stood outside the hospital nursery with Arizona Robbins. The scene playing out in front of them was just too painful to watch. Alex, being the good colleague he was, and claiming that he was the first one among them to have met Veronica- had offered to break the news to Jeremy. Amelia would have helped to deliver the bad news- but she didn't think she would be able to keep herself together to deliver the news. Muttering an excuse to Arizona, she strode towards the elevator, with the intention of getting to the attending lounge without running into any familiar faces on the way. Her shift was thankfully over, and she just really wanted to go home.

As soon as she stepped into the elevator and found herself alone, Amelia broke down. She had been holding back tears as she didn't want to cry in front of her colleagues. No, she was a tough, strong woman, she would never show any signs of weakness in front of others.

She mourned for Veronica and Jeremy- the couple who should have had it all. They both were suppose to raise their son together. And now, Jeremy had to raise their son alone. Life wasn't fair indeed. Veronica should have been alive to experience motherhood. She had been cruelly taken away from Jeremy and their son.

She cried over the fact that she couldn't save Veronica. Even though she knew that there was nothing that she could have possibly done- she hated this feeling - of not being in control of things, of being powerless and unable to save a life.

She grieved over the fact that the baby, the tiny, perfect, adorable little baby boy, would grow up without a mother. How cruel the universe was- to make an innocent little baby motherless on his first day of life.

Most of all, she cried with fear over the fact that the baby that she was carrying, her and Owen's baby which was conceived just shortly before her fear got in between them, might not turn out to be healthy.

Her mind began to play the 'if only' game. If only Veronica hadn't gotten cancer, she and Jeremy would be happily staring down at their son and admiring his perfect features in the postnatal room right now.

If only her firstborn son was still alive. He'd be 5 years old now, running around, maybe kicking a ball or getting dirty somewhere, giving her a hard time catching up with his constant energy. And maybe Owen would teach him how to fish and how to play soccer.

If only she could be certain that the baby she was carrying now- her and Owen's baby- was healthy.

Owen. Although she hated to admit it- he was another reason that contributed to her emotional breakdown today. He obviously loved her and cared for her so much, and yet she kept on pushing him away. She knew it wasn't fair for him. He was so kind, caring, loving and thoughtful towards her. He didn't deserve this. But she couldn't help it.

The truth was- she was scared. She was afraid that if she bared her entire soul to him and exposed the deepest secrets and scars of her past to him, he would leave her. She was carrying with her an excess amount of baggage from her past, and the last thing she wanted was to impose it on him too. No, she was Amelia Shepherd, she was a strong woman and she could handle it alone.

Except now she couldn't. As she continued sobbing in the elevator, she couldn't help but think of the fact that she had made the wrong decision to distance herself and her baby from Owen. Veronica and Jeremy had waited for too long to declare their love for each other, and now it was too late. Veronica was gone forever, and nothing could bring her back. Had they both discovered that they actually loved each other earlier- they could have shared many beautiful years together before Veronica's death. And now, she was wasting precious time by running away from Owen when he could experience this pregnancy with her. It wasn't right, she realized - to keep a baby away from their father.

As her thought drifted back to Owen, she suddenly realized something. It might be too late for Jeremy and Veronica, but it wasn't too late for her and Owen. They both were still alive and well, and they both had an entire future ahead of them. The one thing she learnt from seeing patients die everyday was the fact that life was too short. If time was so precious, then why was she wasting it running away from a man who obviously loved her?

Maybe, just maybe she should go and talk to Owen and apologize to him for running away like that. The problem was, she was a naturally stubborn person and didn't like to admit her own shortcomings. It would take a lot of courage for her to do that. As tears continued rolling down her cheeks- she wondered what she should do. She had never felt this small and helpless before.

* * *

The elevator dinged and stopped, signalling that the door was about to open and someone was about to step into the elevator. Amelia quickly tried to regain her composure, wiping the tears from her eyes. The last thing she wanted was to be caught by a colleague or even a nurse crying in the hospital elevator. She knew that gossip travelled fast in the hospital , and she didn't want to be the central topic.

As if on cue- like he knew she had been thinking about him, the elevator door opened to reveal Owen Hunt.

Realizing that there was no one else with him, Amelia couldn't hold up her strong facade anymore as her face scrunched. Owen….just the person she needed at the moment.

There were no words that needed to be exchanged between them.

Owen just needed one glance at Amelia to know that she wasn't ok and was on the verge of breaking down. Without any hesitation, as if acting on reflex, Owen rushed over to Amelia and engulfed her in a warm, comforting embrace. He didn't know exactly what was going through her mind and the exact emotions that she was feeling at that moment. He didn't even know what to say to her. But what he did know was that she was hurting and needed his support at that moment. So he held her, holding her close to his chest. Gosh how he missed her so! As he pulled her closer so that there was no gap in between them- he thought he felt a soft buldge of her belly. Her belly was usually flat, so this was unusual. Maybe she had put on some weight since the last time he held her.. Knowing that this was not the right time to be asking these sort of questions - he remained silent , hugging her tight instead.

Feeling the warmth and comfort of Owen's hug- Amelia finally let her guard down and sobbed in his arms, releasing the wave of emotions she had kept pented up inside her for so long. She wept and wept in his arms, sobbing for Veronica and Jeremy and their baby, sobbing for her unicorn baby, for this baby she was currently carrying, for Owen, for herself. She sobbed over the fact that the universe wasn't fair and always snatched people away from their loved ones. But most of all, she cried over the fact that she felt so guilty for walking away from a man who loved her and didn't deserve her cold shoulder.

Owen pressed the emergency stop button of the elevator and the elevator came to a complete stop. He continued holding Amelia in his arms as she sobbed and sobbed, wetting his labcoat in the process. He didn't care. All he knew was that he had to be there for his wife, to comfort and support her. Owen just held Amelia wordlessly as her sobs gradually reduced into sniffles.

Finally, as he realized she had calmed down, he lifted her head up so their eyes met. Her watery eyes showed fear and sorrow in them.

'Feeling better now?' he asked gently.

She nodded wordlessly in reply.

' You need a moment to recollect yourself before you continue work?' he asked. 'I'll bring you to on call room where you can rest. I'll inform Kepner and my residents to page Nelson instead.'he offered.

' I'm fine. I'm going home, actually. My shift just ended. I need to change to my street clothes first.' she replied in a shaky voice.

' Do you need a lift home?' Owen asked.

Amelia nodded. ' Yes please.' she replied in a small voice.

She had followed Meredith to the hospital in the morning and she was not in the mood to wait for either of her sisters. Neither of them were finishing their shifts anytime soon and all she wanted to do was to go home.

* * *

They drove home in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Amelia looked out of the window- trying to avoid eye contact with Owen. It had been an exhausting day, losing a patient was mentally and emotionally exhausting. Also, she just didn't have the energy left apologize to her husband and explain to him why she left. That would have to wait because all she could think of at the moment was a warm shower and her comfortable bed. The crying was therapeutic though, she was feeling surprisingly better after the good cry she had in the elevator.

As they reached a traffic light- Owen stole a glance at his wife. She looked pale and crestfallen, which broke his heart. He had no idea what caused her grief, and he really wished he could help her. If only she would open up to him and let him help.

As his eyes inadvertly travelled downwards, he thought he could see a slight buldge of her lower abdomen beneath the leather jacket she was wearing. It could be due to the fact that the jacket was bulky though- he wasn't sure.

In that instant- Owen knew what to do. As the traffic light turned green- he turned left instead of turning right to Meredith's house.

' Owen- where are you going? I said I wanted to go home.'Amelia asked alarmed.

' You are going home, Amelia. Home with me.' Owen said softly but firmly. He had enough of her running away from him. She was coming home with him, whether she liked it or not.

' But….all my belongings are in Meredith's house!' she protested weakly.

The truth was- it was just an excuse as she was afraid of going back home to face him. She did have some clothes left at her and Owen's place and they both knew it.

' I'll ask Meredith to bring your belongings over later.'Owen said matter of factly.

Amelia leaned back against the passenger car seat, defeated. She was too tired to argue with him. Besides, the prospect of a long warm shower in the privacy of her own bedroom and sleeping on her own big comfortable bed seemed so appealing at that moment.

She stared out of the car window, watching the other cars, pedestriansand shops pass by.

' Amelia' Owen demanded, as soon as they reached another traffic light' Look at me.'

She finally looked at him and their eyes met.

' Just talk to me.' he said. ' You've been running from me and avoiding me. I just want to know why. I know there's something bothering you lately- if you would just tell me exactly what it is I can help you. I can't help you if you don't let me in.'

' I lost a patient today.' Amelia said softly. ' She had cancer and she died shortly after giving birth.'

' Oh I'm so sorry Amelia.' Owen said sincerely. He knew how invested in her job Amelia was and how much she cared for her patients. Of course this would affect her deeply.

' Wanna talk about it?' he offered.

' No.'Amelia answered. ' I'm sorry Owen- I'm so tired. All I want to do now is to take a shower and go to bed.'

' Well ok then.' Owen nodded. He understood. There were times when he felt super exhausted after a shift as well. He would let her rest first. And then when she woke up refreshed, they would talk.

They continued the rest of the journey in silence until they reached their home.

* * *

As Amelia walked into her own house for the first time in 3 months- she looked around and realized that everything was just the same as it had been. Owen had not moved a single thing from its original position. It was as if she never left. As she shrugged off her jacket, she suddenly realized how much she missed home.

Owen watched his wife as she removed her jacket to reveal a tiny bump in her midsection. He could swear that it wasn't there before- but then again she had always been wearing labcoats at work lately and that covered it up. Furthermore, maybe she had put on some weight lately. He still wasn't sure.

Amelia trodded directly upstairs to their bedroom without a word, leaving Owen alone in the sitting room.

He flipped through the TV channels distractedly, unable to find a suitable TV program to watch.

After an hour or so, he realized that Amelia wasn't going to come back downstairs.

Sighing, he turned off the TV and headed upstairs to their bedroom, where he found her fast asleep, curled up under the covers of their comfortable bed.

He shook his head as he slid under the covers of his side of the bed. He had to admit he was really annoyed by her behavior, of her totally shutting herself away from him. At the same time he knew that something was really bothering her and she was afraid to talk about it. He really hoped that they would be able to talk about it the next day.

* * *

The next morning, Owen was awakened by the sound of retching coming from their bathroom.

He rushed to the bathroom to find Amelia hunched over the toilet bowl, throwing her gut contents out. Instinctively, he pulled her hair to the back and rubbed her back gently in smooth circular motions, until she had nothing left to throw up.

Amelia groaned weakly as she flushed the toilet and rinsed her mouth in the sink, certain that Owen now knew her secret.

Owen lifted her up and carried her, gently placing her on the bed.

' You ok?' he asked concerned as he made her lie down and placed the blankets over her. She nodded meekly.

' How long have you been ill?' he asked. Maybe she had caught a strong bug from a patient. He would have to call Bailey and inform her that Amelia wouldn't be coming in that morning.

' For 2 months, every morning.' she answered, hoping that he would get the hint.

Owen's eyes widened as he connected the dots. The tiny bump wasn't due to his imagination or her weight gain after all.

His first instinct was to jump for joy. This was what he wanted, a family. And now his dream was about to come true. But seeing Amelia's expression, he contained himself, knowing she didn't exactly share his sentiments. She had fear showing in her eyes.

Amelia sat upright now, feeling much better after having thrown up. She looked at Owen in the eye, knowing that now is the time to be totally open to him and to tell him every single thing. It was now or never.

'How far along are you?'he asked cautiously- trying to hide his emotions for her sake.

' 4 months.'she answered, her heart pounding.. ' 18 weeks. It must have happened not too long before I .. left. I took the test too early. I took another test a few weeks later when my period still hadn't come and it was positive.'

Owen struggled to find the exact words to say to her. Under normal circumstances, had they still been happily married- he would've sported a wide grin on his face as he hugged her joyfully. But judging from the terrified look on her face and the fact that she had just returned home after staying away from him for a few months, he knew that it wasn't the appropriate response.

' And I'm due for my next ultrasound tomorrow. Arizona is going to perform a detailed scan, and I'm scared.'she added, when Owen remained silent.

' Why are you scared?'Owen asked as he looked at her, hoping that this question would pave the way for Amelia to open up to him.

Amelia took a deep breath as she gathered the courage to finally tell Owen everything she had been hiding from him all this while.

' I'm scared that this baby would be anencephalic too.' she answered as she looked at him in the eye, waiting for his reaction.

 _Too._ Owen heard the word loud and clear.

' You mean you had an anencephalic baby before?'he asked as he held her hands in his as a gesture of support.

She nodded, feeling the tears pool in her eyes at the mention of her unicorn baby.

' Remember I told you once long ago while we were sitting in the hospital chapel, about how my baby lived for 43 minutes? Well what I didn't tell you was that he had anencephaly.'

' I'm so sorry to hear that Amelia.' Owen whispered as he pulled her in for a comforting hug. He couldn't imagine how it must have been like for her. He knew how it was like to lose a baby- he had felt a deep sense of loss after Cristina aborted his baby, which was one of the factors leading to their divorce. However, what Amelia went through was an entirely different thing altogether. Her baby had been born alive but died shortly after.

Just that simple gesture of his was enough to bring tears to her eyes again, but she maintained her composure as she knew it was important for her to finish telling him her story now.

' He was Ryan's.' she said quietly.

He nodded. He remembered her telling him about Ryan, their drug addiction together and how she woke up one day to find Ryan lying dead beside her. It was a horrible tragedy and he felt so sorry that she had to go through that terrible loss.

' After Ryan's death- I went to rehab.' she continued.

' A few months after I returned from rehab, I discovered that I was pregnant. ' she added. ' With his baby. I was happy at first, I thought that he had left a piece of him behind with me. Then I had my first ultrasound and Addison had to crush all my hopes to the ground by informing me that the baby was anencephalic.'

Owen remained silent, rubbing soothing circles on her back, quietly urging her to continue.

' They gave me the option of terminating the pregnancy, but I chose to carry the pregnancy to term because I wanted to donate his organs. I wanted him to save the lives of many other children and make a difference in his short life.' she said, wiping away a stray tear from her cheek, feeling tears forming in her eyes again at the mention of her unicorn baby.

'That's a very noble thing to do, Amelia.' said Owen earnestly as he pulled her closer to him. He knew that not many parents, after finding out that their baby had an anomaly incompatible with life, would voluntarily carry the baby to term just to donate their baby's organs. He really respected her for this.

' And when I held him in my arms and looked at him, he was so beautiful.' she said, her voice quivering and tears pooling in her eyes again as she recalled looking at her unicorn baby as she held him in her arms. He was the most beautiful baby she had ever seen. ' So you see- like I said that day, I am already a mom.'

That statement of Amelia's hit Owen hard. He finally realized how much impact the birth and loss of her previous baby had on her. She never really got over her loss, he realized.

' I'm so sorry….' Owen whispered as he held her close to his chest, wanting to take away all her pain.

' When they had to take him away from me because he developed respiratory distress, it was like they took a part of me with him.' she admitted. 'Part of me died inside. I still think of him sometimes and wonder whether he's happy in heaven. And at other times I wonder what life would be like if he were still alive.

' I'm sorry for not realizing it earlier- that you were already a mom.' Owen admitted guiltily.

' Well to be fair- I only mentioned it in passing that day in the chapel and I never mentioned it again after that. Of course it would have slipped your mind.' said Amelia as she looked up at Owen. ' And we weren't so close yet at that time.'she added.

' So this is why you are afraid. You do not want our baby to meet the same fate.' Owen voiced out Amelia's fear.

Amelia nodded, relieved that finally Owen seemed to understand.

' Yes. Arizona mentioned during the first ultrasound that there is a less than 5% chance of recurrence in a subsequent pregnancy.' she said. ' Small but it's there. What if I'm the less than 5%?'

For a moment, Owen felt upset that he wasn't there for the first ultrasound appointment. He would've loved to see their baby. Why did she leave him out of all this?

But he knew that Amelia needed his support.

' You don't know that, Amelia. There's more than 95% chance that we'll have a healthy baby. Why don't we focus on that instead?' he asked as he gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

' I wish I share your optimism.' Amelia said, softly. ' But after what I've been through- I just can't.…' her voiced trailed off.

She shook her head, a sad expression on her face. ' I just can't go through that anymore, Owen. The pain of losing a child. I just can't hold another anencephalic baby in my arms and watch as they carry the baby away from me forever and rip another piece of my heart from me.'

' You wouldn't be going through this alone. I'll be there by your side, every step of the way this time.' said Owen firmly but gently, still not letting go of her.

Amelia looked up at him, studying his face and seeing only honesty. Sometimes she wondered what had she done to deserve such an amazing guy in her life.

' You don't get it, Owen.'she said exasperatedly. ' I know you want a family so much. But what if I can't give it to you? What if I can only bear anencephalic babies? Or babies with whatever other deformities? Would you leave me then? Tell me Owen. Would you?' she asked, scanning his face again , waiting for his reaction.

Owen knew right away that she was putting him through the ultimate test of their relationship, and he was determined to ace it.

' No.' he said firmly in a confident tone. ' I'll never leave you, Amelia, no matter what happens.'

He meant every word. He loved his wife too much to ever leave her should she bear him anencephalic babies. If only she knew how deep his love was for her.

' So you promise to stay with me through it all? Through this pregnancy and beyond? For the rest of our lives?' Amelia asked, again looking at him for confirmation.

Owen nodded affirmatively. ' I'll be with you every step of the way..' he said earnestly.

'Will you come with me to my next ultrasound appointment tomorrow then?' she invited. ' Tomorrow Arizona would be performing a detailed scan on me, and we would find out whether the baby has any abnormalities or not. I'm kind of scared.' she admitted.

' Amelia, of course I'll come. I would love to see our baby.'Owen answered, finally allowing himself to smile with joy.

Finally being reassured that Owen would indeed be with her every step of the way and would never leave her, Amelia allowed herself to lean back on his chest and relax in his arms, relishing in the comforting and safe feeling his warm embrace gave her.

She took his right hand and slowly guided it to her tiny but now visible baby bump, letting it rest there as she rested her hand on top of his.

Owen's face broke into a wide smile as he finally allowed himself to enjoy the feel of their baby- part him and part Amelia, safety nestled inside her stomach. He knew that no matter the outcome of the ultrasound the following day- he was already in love with this baby.

The couple lay quietly on the bed, Owen savoring the feel of the baby under his touch and Amelia feeling the baby moving inside her. They knew that no matter what- they would be able to face the future together.

 **Ok guys, this is it- any comments, reviews, and messages are very much appreciated. I would really love to hear from you and know what you think!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Elevator Hug - part 2**

The following day turned out to be challenging for Amelia. She and Alex were working on a 10 year old boy who had a brain tumor and needed surgery to remove the tumor. The problem was the boy's father who didn't believe in surgery. He strongly refused the surgery to be performed on his son, and ended up having a heated argument with Alex. The boy's parents refused to sign the consent for the surgery- much to Alex and Amelia's dismay.

But there was nothing they could do about it, as it was against the rules to operate on a patient against the parent or guardian's wishes.

As Amelia stood at the nurses' counter outside the boy's room, watching the weak looking boy and his parents from a distance, she shook her head sadly. She knew at the rate the tumor was growing- the boy wouldn't have long to live. The parents might regret their decision when the boy dies. There was no grief like of a parent who had lost their child. She knew that. She had experienced it before, and it was like a part of her heart was ripped apart from her, leaving a permanent hole that could never be filled.

She stood staring at the family- wondering whether there was anything else she could do to help the boy. Maybe she could device a plan with Alex to push the boy into surgery without the parents' consent. And risk getting fired. Was that worth it?

As she was lost in her thoughts, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to come face to face with Alex Karev.

' I wish there's something more we could do to help him.' she sighed as she turned back to the room to look at the family.

' There's nothing we can do.' said Alex sadly. ' We've already explained the risks of not performing the surgery, which included death. They fully understood the consequences of their decision and even signed the AOR form. I even almost got into a fight with the father to prove my point. The last thing I want is to get into a fist fight with a patient's father and put my career in jeopardy again.

' I'm just thinking about how the parents will feel when the boy is gone.' said Amelia, her voice now starting to quiver. ' Because I know how it feels to lose a child.'

' I know.' Alex said, nodding his head solemnly. He could recall very vividly every single word Amelia said to him in the attending lounge a couple of months ago. She had poured out her entire heart and soul to him, telling him about her baby who died of anencephaly. His heart broke for her, he had seen several newborns with the condition and they never lasted longer than an hour.

' I still don't understand - how can a parent make a decision which would ultimately lead to their child's death without feeling remorse about it?' Amelia asked in a harsh whisper, shaking her head. She knew that her emotions were getting the best of her again. Pregnancy hormones certainly didn't help either.

' Well, as doctors we do the best we can.' Alex explained rationally. ' We inform them of the risk and benefits of each procedure and the consequences not performing the procedure, but ultimately, the patients or family members are the ones who decide.' he added.

'I know.' Amelia nodded her head in understanding.

' Are you ok?' Alex asked when he noticed her face was scrunched.

' I just- I know I would never make a decision that would cause harm to my child.' she said in a shaky voice.

' You still miss him, don't you?' Alex pointed out as she nodded.

' Have you talked to Owen about this?' Alex asked. ' I'm not one to meddle in other people's affairs- but from what I can see - he really loves you and cares for you, Amelia. I noticed he hasn't been himself lately since you both were staying apart. You should talk to him, open up to him about how you feel. Tell him exactly what you told me that day in the attendings' lounge.

' I have.' said Amelia. ' Last night- I told him everything about the baby, and it felt good to open up to him. It was like a huge burden was lifted from my chest. But I have not properly apologized to him or explained the reason why I left.'

' Go home, Amelia.' Alex ordered in a gentle tone. ' There's nothing much you can do by staying here, I don't think the parents are going to change their minds overnight. I'm bringing Arizona to speak to the parents again, and if they still don't change their minds, we'll device a plan tomorrow to get him into surgery ok? For now, get some rest first. Go home to Owen.'

Amelia nodded, knowing that Alex had a point.

' Ok.' she said softly. ' I will. Please do update me on any progress.'

' I will.' said Alex earnestly. ' Now go.'

* * *

By the time Amelia reached home, she was exhausted. The case had drained the energy out of her.

She had dropped by Meredith's right after work to collect her clothes and belongings.

She had to admit- it felt nice to finally be home again after a few months. Granted, she had a comfortable bed in Meredith's place and enjoyed the company of her sisters, nieces and nephew, but it wasn't the same as coming home to Owen.

Owen was reading a journal as Amelia hopped onto the bed, freshly showered.

A moment of silence passed between them. Although the night before,

Amelia had told Owen about the reason why she was afraid to have more babies and told him all about her Unicorn baby, she knew things weren't totally mended yet between them. She knew deep down inside he was still mad at her for running away from him like that. After all, he had done nothing wrong to deserve that treatment from her.

She glanced at him as he pretended to be preoccupied with his journal, his eyebrows furrowed the way they always did when he was deeply concentrating on a task. Seeing him frown always turned her on. But not when she knew that she might have something to do with this facial expression of his.

Scooting closer to Owen, she linked her arm under his and leaned her head on his arm.

Instinctively, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Although he was still mad at her for leaving him, he missed her tender touch so much. He could sniff the vanilla scent of her hair which he missed so much. As she leaned against him and looked at him with those pleading blue eyes, the eyes he couldn't say no to, he knew he couldn't resist.

' Owen, I'm sorry.' she apologized softly.

' Sorry for what?' Owen asked, pretending to be puzzled as he turned to look at her.

Amelia hit him playfully on the arm.

' Owen! You know jolly well what I mean. I'm so sorry for running away from you like that. ' she explained.

' You left with just a simple note, asking me not to blame myself. Of course I was going to blame myself, Amelia.' said Owen, trying his best to keep an even tone in his voice. ' For the entire month after you left, I keep asking myself every night as I lay alone in our bed and stared at your empty side of the bed what had I done wrong. All I did was say that I wanted to start a family, something which you also agreed on. Which was why I was so confused when you suddenly yelled at my face a few weeks later saying you didn't want a baby. What made you change your mind so abruptly?' Owen asked Amelia as he cupped her face in his hands and tilted her head up so they were both looking at each other in the eye.

He knew that when he did that, she couldn't escape his gaze.

' I told you I was scared.' Amelia admitted. ' At first, when we were talking about starting a family, I was excited to be starting a family with you. There's no one else I would rather start a family with. Then a few weeks after that, I was initially so excited when I missed my period and realized that I might be pregnant. I was so excited- that I went around the hospital telling close friends that I was pregnant. I was even plotting on the best possible way to tell you the good when I asked Meredith how she told Derek- she noncholantly answered that when she was pregnant with Ellis- she didn't need to tell Derek because he was dead. That was when the memories of the past came back to haunt me. The last time I was pregnant- I didn't need to tell the father too, because he was dead.' tears started pooling in her eyes at the memory of her waking up that morning and shaking Ryan's lifeless body , hoping against all odds that he was just asleep.

' And then, just when I thought he had left a part of him in me- the universe had to take away my baby too.' she added.

' There's no need to be scared, Amelia.' Owen whispered, at loss of words to say to her. He took her hands in his as a gesture of comfort.

' One day when I was 5.' Amelia continued, ' I was in the store room of my dad's convenience store with Derek. I was happily playing with 2 pennies that my dad gave me. Then 2 men entered in the store. I thought they were just regular customers coming in to buy some stuff. Shortly after , I could hear them loudly demanding something from my dad. Then I could hear the sound of a gun shot piercing through the air. I can still hear it now. I saw my dad lying in a pool of his own blood. I wanted to scream and run over to him, but Derek stopped me, covering my mouth and holding me tight. Had he not done so, I would've been shot as well. That was the day my entire life changed.' she said as her eyes watered.

Owen placed an arm around her shoulder, knowing that it would give her some comfort as he silently urged her to continue.

' I wasn't the same cheerful little girl anymore. Nobody ever laughed or smiled anymore in my family and my entire family walked on eggshells around me. The only person I could talk to was Derek. So I did the only thing I knew- escape. I turned to drugs and alcohol to run away from the pain I was feeling. I even took Derek's car for a joyride once and crashed it and then overdosed, because I thought that it would take away the pain. It only lead to Derek performing CPR on me to save my life.'

Owen winced at the thought of Amelia almost losing her life before. She wouldn't have come into his life had Derek not saved her.

'After graduation and college- I thought I was fine for a while. I studied hard and graduated from Harvard Medical School. I floated from city to city, trying to make a fresh new start. I loved L.A. and I adored my friends there. Then I met Ryan. It was great while it lasted, we both shared our love for drugs, we enjoyed getting high together. We even planned a future together.' Amelia continued.

She looked up at Owen and noticed a slightly hurt expression on his face. However he silently nodded, urging her to continue.

' Then the universe had to take him away from me. Not only that, it took away our baby as well.' she continued.

' Then when I thought I was healed, there came James. He was a nice, decent guy and all that- we were even engaged to be married.' Amelia now had a faraway look in her eyes. ' But then my fear of losing another man I loved overtook me and I did the only thing I knew- I ran.'

' And then Derek died.' she said softly. ' I lost my only brother and closest family member. And I didn't even get to say goodbye to him.' she said bitterly, still feeling some resentment towards Meredith for not letting her say goodbye to Derek.

' And now, you came into my life. You- are just different, Owen.' said Amelia. ' I've never met such a kind, caring, compassionate, loyal and honest person like you. You show so much passion and dedication in your work, you can be so firm and strict when the need be, but so tender and loving the next. You are so caring and loving towards me, Owen.' she said looking up to his eyes and seeing him gazing down lovingly at her.

' And that scared me. Because you're too perfect, Owen. There's no such thing as perfect in my life.' Amelia admitted.

Owen shook his head wordlessly at her admission. No, he wasn't perfect, they had this conversation before.

' And when you suggested that we start a family, I was scared Owen, scared that our baby would be born anencephalic and we would lose the baby too. And then you would leave me. So I did what I knew best…. I ran. And when I found out that I'm pregnant again….. I just broke down. I didn't know what to do Owen. I didn't want to lose another baby.' Amelia continued.

She looked up at Owen again to meet his eyes.

His eyes showed a flash of hurt and confusion in them.

' But why do you need to run? You can always talk to me. I'll be there for you.I told you I would never leave you, no matter what.'

' You don't get it, Owen.' said Amelia exasperatedly as she looked up at him with sad blue eyes. . ' How can I trust you not to leave when every man I've ever loved had left me? My dad, Ryan, my baby, Derek…..'

' Do not add me into your list ok?' Owen said gently but firmly as he tilted her face up to look at his so their eyes met. ' Because I'm not going anywhere.' he said with a reassuring tone in his voice.

' You'd better not.' Amelia half joked as she flashed him a teary smile.

' No matter how many times you ask, my answer will be the same.' said Owen, an earnest tone in his voice. 'I would never leave you, Amelia.'

' Ok.' Amelia nodded, as she wiped a stray tear from her cheek and leaned onto Owen- feeling the comfort of his heart beating against her chest.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, as his other hand slowly moved to cover her tiny bump where their baby was safely nestled inside.

As they lay there, Amelia began telling Owen about her and Alex's patient, how his parents wouldn't let them operate on him, and how they were planning to push him into an OR tomorrow against the parent's wishes. Owen listened attentively, feeling sorry for the patient and feeling proud of her.

Amelia then began expressing her concern again about the ultrasound appointment the following day and how she hoped this baby would be healthy because she couldn't bear the thought of losing another baby.

And again, Owen reassured her, telling her that he would be with her every step of the way. She dozed off in his arms, knowing it was the safest place to be.

* * *

At 9:30 am sharp the following day- Owen and Amelia sat in the waiting room of the antenatal clinic, awaiting their turn.

Amelia's heart was beating fast. This was it. She was going to find out whether the baby she was carrying- her and Owen's baby- was healthy or not. Chances were, the baby was healthy. Or so she hoped. But what if the baby was not? What if she was the unlucky less than 5% who had another anencephalic child? The universe had it's way of conspiring against her after all.

She looked around the waiting room full of expectant mothers. Some came alone, some were sitting with their partners or spouses. Some had a bored look on their faces as if they would rather be anywhere but there. Others sported happy looks- excited at the prospect of seeing their baby.

Her legs shook as she pretended to occupy herself with her phone to pass time. She felt a strong warm hand cover hers beside her, Owen had noticed her nervousness. He held her hands in his as a sign of silent support as they continued waiting for their turn.

It might have been just minutes, but it seemed like eternity for the expectant couple before Arizona called them into her room.

' Hey' she greeted them, showing her trademark cheerful smile. ' So you're here for the detailed scan huh?'

' Yes, to see whether this baby has a head or not.' said Amelia noncholantly.

' Ooh….I'm sorry. I forget my filter when I'm nervous.' she chuckled as Owen and Arizona exchanged glances at each other. They both knew about her first pregnancy.

Seeing how nervous Amelia looked, Arizona gently asked her friend all the routine Obstetric questions and performed the normal Obstetrics physical examination. Besides morning sickness, Amelia was doing well, with normal weight gain, blood pressure and blood sugar. She was taking her prenatal vitamins regularly, something she knew she should if she were to ensure normal fetal development. Arizona again reassured Amelia that the chance of a recurrence of anencephaly was low, less than 5%. Amelia nodded, she knew that fact already, but it wasn't going to fully reassure her.

' So are you guys ready to see your baby?' Arizona asked once Amelia was lying on the examination bed.

Amelia didn't reply as she turned her head away from the scan machine.

Owen squeezed Amelia's hand wordlessly as he exchanged a glance with Arizona. They both knew why Amelia was afraid of looking at the machine and their hearts broke for her.

Arizona sincerely hoped that this baby would be healthy. She adored the couple and she wished them only happiness.

Silence filled the room as Arizona entered Amelia's details into the machine. Amelia still had her head turned away from the machine and Owen was still holding her hand.

' Ok, this will feel a little cold,' Arizona warned as she squeezed the gel on Amelia's stomach. Amelia shuddered in reflex. She didn't know if it was from the cold of the gel or due to her nervousness.

Arizona began manipulating the ultrasound probe around Amelia's lower abdomen as the trio remained silent. Arizona was frowning in concentration, fully focused on obtaining a clear image of the fetus. She adjusted the settings as she continued manipulating the probe. Owen was staring at the ultrasound screen, excited to be seeing his baby. His heart was pounding in anticipation. He had been waiting for this his whole life- seeing his own child for the first time. He tried to hide his excitement though, for the sake of his wife.

Amelia meanwhile, still had her head turned away from the screen.

She could still recall the the first ultrasound she had during her first pregnancy. She had been excited to meet her and Ryan's baby. But when she saw the look on Addison's face, she immediately knew that something was wrong with the baby. And when Addison broke the news that the baby was anencephalic- her whole world crumbled.

Therefore she decided that she would not look at the screen, because if she did, what would appear on the screen would be another anencephalic baby. She also didn't dare to look at Arizona's face because if she did, she would see the same expression on Arizona's face as she broke the news that she had another brainless baby. She wasn't even going to look at Owen's face, because she couldn't bear to see the disappointed look on Owen's face at Arizona's words.

Instead, her head still turned away from the screen, she sent up a prayer to the powers above to let this baby be healthy. She really couldn't bear to think of what she would do should the baby have any abnormalities. Should she abort the baby this time? Owen squeezed her hand again, reminding her that he was there by her side this time. This time, she wasn't alone.

' Ah ha! There it is!' Arizona exclaimed as Owen turned his attention back to the screen.

' Here is your baby.' Arizona pointed out. ' 2 hands, 2 legs, a stomach, and …a _head.'_ she added, emphasizing on the word head.

Owen's face broke out into a wide smile. He couldn't believe it, it was his baby he was looking at , a new being that he and Amelia had created together. He thought their baby was perfect and the most beautiful baby ever.

Amelia's head was still turned away from the screen. She didn't want to believe what Arizona was saying. It was too good to be true.

' Amelia look.' he whispered, squeezing her hand, reassuring her. ' Look at our baby, he or she is perfect.' he continued whispering into her ear, stroking her hair gently.

' It's sucking it's thumb now.' Arizona announced in a cheerful voice. ' Unfortunately it's legs are crossed so I can't tell the gender. But everything seems fine.' she said.

Arizona began the fetal measurements as Owen held Amelia's hand and continued stroking her hair.

' Yep- the baby is growing well, the measurements are at the normal percentiles.' Arizona said, smiling at the couple.

' Amelia- look at our baby.' Owen whispered into her ear again.

Amelia finally gathered the courage to turn her head to face the screen.

There it was, her and Owen's baby- with a head, a stomach, 2 hands and 2 legs and sucking its thumb. It was perfect.

Tears formed in her eyes. Her baby had a head!

' The head. Owen, our baby has a head!' Amelia proclaimed, looking up at Owen with a teary smile. This baby had a head, unlike her previous baby. She stared at the image of her baby on the screen for a few long moments, making sure that Arizona wasn't lying and that her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. She closed and opened her eyes again. Owen and Arizona were still standing at the bedside, both smiling widely. And yes, the baby still had a head.

An immense sense of relief overtook her as she sobbed with joy, tears running down her cheeks. She cried in Owen's arms, releasing all the anxiety and fear she had kept inside prior to this appointment. She felt a huge burden being lifted off her shoulders.

' Our baby has a head.' Owen repeated happily, kissing the top of her head as he hugged her, letting her continue sobbing in his arms, wetting his labcoat. He would still love her and their baby so much had this baby not have a head, but seeing her so happy and relieved made him happy too.

Arizona felt warmth in her heart upon watching the couple rejoice at the wonderful news. She wished only good things for them both. She let them both stay in that position for a while before clearing her throat.

' Wanna hear the heartbeat?' she asked, as Amelia gave her a watery smile. The couple nodded eagerly.

She adjusted the scan settings, and soon the comforting ' lub dub' sound of the baby's heartbeat filled the scan room.

' Well your baby has a strong heartbeat.' Arizona confirmed, smiling. ' Your baby seems fine and healthy.'

Amelia felt a fresh wave of tears rolling down her cheeks as Owen hugged her tight.

' You hear that? Our baby is fine and healthy.' Owen said softly, as he kissed her on the top of her head.

Amelia looked up at him as their eyes met. She flashed him a teary smile.

' Yes, our baby is fine and healthy.' she repeated, letting it sink in. She and Owen were going to have a healthy baby!

Arizona printed out the ultrasound picture and passed it to the couple, congratulating them on the good news.

She walked out of the room, letting them have some privacy.

* * *

Later that night, they laid down in bed, studying the ultrasound picture for the umpteenth time. Owen had his arms wrapped around Amelia as they both admired their baby's perfect features, studying every single detail of the ultrasound image.

' I still can't believe that we made this image of perfection.' Owen whispered as he kissed the top of Amelia's head.

' I still can't believe- this baby actually has a head.' said Amelia, smiling at the image.

' I told you our baby will be healthy. Didn't I say so? You have to trust me from now onwards.' Owen pointed out, winking at her.

Amelia gave him playful jab on the elbow.

' Alright sir, I'll believe you from now on.' she relented as they both chuckled.

' But seriously Amelia, you have to know that I'll love you and this baby no matter what. I'll still love you both even if this baby had any abnormality. I think it's important for you to know that.' said Owen earnestly pulled his wife closer to him.

She looked up at him, studying his honest expression.

' Ok.' she nodded, realizing that she should be thankful to be married to such an amazing man.

They both continued staring at the ultrasound image again, unable to get enough of seeing their baby.

' Do you think it's a boy or girl?' Amelia asked as she looked up at Owen.

' Well, what do you think? I thought mothers know best.' he said, smiling at her. 'I really don't mind either way, although I would love a daughter who looks like you.' he added.

Amelia smiled, showing her dimples which he hoped their daughter would inherit.

' Well, I don't mind either way too. I just want a healthy baby.' she admitted.

They snuggled close to each other on the bed, as Owen placed his hand on the slight buldge in Amelia's lower abdomen where their baby lay. Amelia placed her hand on top of his as they savored the feel of their precious, perfect baby nestled safely inside.

For the first time since she was 5 years old, Amelia finally felt pure joy and freedom from her past. Her dad, Ryan, Derek, and unicorn baby were all in her past, but Owen and their baby were her future. And the future was great.

 **Comments, reviews, and messages are very much appreciated. I would really love to know what you guys think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Elevator Hug - part 3**

 **This is based on on the promo and synopsis of 13x23, about Owen receiving some life changing news and Amelia being there to support him. This is also based on a prompt I received, with some modifications made.**

 **P.s I know in the show and based on the promo Amelia hasn't returned back home and Owen would go to Meredith's to probably meet her. But for the sake of my 'Elevator Hug' series- Amelia is already back home in this fic. However the main point remains- it's Amelia's time to support Owen :)**

* * *

It had been a very busy day so far for Owen Hunt. There was an influx of patients in the ER due to a huge pile up involving a bus, a van and several cars. He and April Kepner had been kept occupied.

It didn't dampen his spirits though. It had been 2 weeks since his wife, Amelia Shepherd had returned home, and almost 2 weeks since he had the first glimpse of their baby. All was well in the world again.

He was humming to himself, discharging a patient who was under observation for a syncopal attack when he heard his name being called.

' Hunt.' April approached him. ' I'm attending to the patient in bed 6 who has upper GI bleed. Can you attend to the patient in bed 3 who was just brought in? The paramedics said that she was in a car accident and suffered head trauma.'

' Ok,' Owen answered. ' I'm just about done discharging this patient.'

As he walked towards bed 3- he stopped in his tracks. It couldn't be her. He knew his mind was playing tricks on him, but from a far this patient looked rather similar to him. The red wavy hair, the slim body.

As he approached the patient, his heart sank. So much for getting his hopes up. Of course it wasn't Megan. It was just another patient who looked like her. Today he had been thinking about Megan a lot.

' Hello. I'm Dr. Hunt. May I know your name?' he asked the patient, who seemed fine at a glance, except for the laceration wound on her forehead.

' Michelle.' she answered. ' My head hurts.'

' I was driving when another car switched lanes right in front of us without signalling . I couldn't manage to brake and we collided with the car. I'm fine, but she hit her head.' a red haired man sitting next to her explained. ' I'm Michael, by the way. I'm her brother. We were on the way to our parents' place for dinner.'

' Do your parents know that you're here?' Owen asked.

' Yes, they're coming over in a short while.' Michael answered.

' Alright, Michelle, can you look right at me? I need to check your pupils .' said Owen as she obeyed.

' Do you have any dizziness, vomitting or blurring of vision?' Owen asked once he ascertained that her pupils were equal and reactive.

' No.' Michelle shook her head.

' She'll be ok right?' Michael asked, concerned. ' She's my only sister- I don't want anything to happen to her.'

 _She's my only sister. I don't want anything to happen to her._

Owen found his mind drifting again to his only sister, Megan.

He shook the thought of Megan off his mind as he answered, ' Yes, she seems fine at the moment. But I want to page Neuro to do a full examination on you just to be sure. And I'm gonna stitch this wound on your forehead ok?'

He began working on Michelle's wound as he ordered a nurse to page Amelia.

* * *

' You ok?' Amelia asked as she approached Owen at the nurses' station half an hour later. She had done a thorough examination on Michelle and reviewed Michelle's Brain CT which turned out normal. Being cleared by Neuro, Michelle would be discharged after another 6 hours of observation in the ER.

Owen had a distant look on his face, and she knew that something was preoccupying his mind.

' Huh? Yeah I'm fine.' Owen answered distractedly.

' Owen….'

' I said I'm fine!' he repeated, louder than he intended to.

However Amelia didn't flinch this time. No- Owen had always supported her all this while, she wanted to be the one to offer him support this time.

' You can always talk to me you know.' Amelia said softly as she rubbed his arm soothingly. ' You have always supported me, and now I'm here to support you as well.'

Owen nodded as he looked at Amelia. He appreciated her support, he really did. But this wasn't the time to be talking to her about it.

' Thank you, Amelia, I really appreciate it.' he said earnestly. ' But I'm rather busy now. I'll talk to you about it later ok?'

' Ok.' she nodded. ' Just know that you can tell me anything.' she offered, as she patted his shoulder before she left.

* * *

It was quiet in the house as Owen sat on the couch of their living room that night. He could hear the sound of crickets and the occasional car driving by. Amelia was on call- so he sat alone on the couch, just like he always did during the 3 months before her return.

He was exhausted after an entire day of attending to motor vehicle accident victims. Now all he wanted was to sit back and relax with a drink.

He poured himself a glass of Scotch as he leaned back on the couch. He savored the feel of the drink going down his throat.

The truth be told, he had been drinking every night since Amelia left with a simple note. Without Amelia around , there was no reason for him to stop drinking. If before, he always tried not to drink in front of her, now he binge drank. He drank to drown all the sorrows he felt deep down inside. He drank to fill the hole in his heart and the loneliness and emptiness he felt. He missed her laughter, her dimpled smile, the vanilla scent of her hair. He even missed their petty squabbles over the remote and the dishes.

Now that Amelia was back home, he had another reason to drown his sorrows with a drink today.

Although he didn't want to admit it, he really missed his sister Megan.

Today was supposed to be Megan's 35th birthday had she still been around. He stood up from the couch and walked over to the collection of old photo albums he and Amelia kept in one of the drawers below the TV.

He took out one of the photo albums and sat back down on the couch, flipping through the album. It contained photos of him and Megan from birth to adulthood. There were many photos of them both as babies, then as children, and subsequently as teenagers and young adults. He stared at a photo of him and Megan building sandcastles together at the beach. Their parents would make it a point to bring them to the beach every summer for vacation, and it was something they looked forward to the entire year. Then there were photos of him and Megan smiling widely during her 2nd birthday party, cakes smeared all over their faces. Another page of the album contained photos of them during their teenage years- him dressed smartly in a suit, going to prom with a girl whose name he had forgotten, and her looking so beautiful in a red dress during her prom day, being escorted by a boy who Owen disliked. Owen had always shown an interest in Megan's love life, much to her dismay. But the actual fact was, and they both knew it- he had her best interest in mind and just wanted to protect his little sister from getting hurt. As he turned to the last page of the album, a photo caught his eye. It was the last photo they had taken together, right before they were both posted to Iraq. They were both wearing similar army uniforms and smiling widely at the camera. Both Hunt siblings shared a similar passion for serving in the army.

He let his mind drift off again to Megan. He missed her so much. He missed her cheeky smile, her cheerful laughter, he missed the way she loved to tease and provoke him to make him mad. But he could never stay mad at her for long. He missed their happy childhood memories, cycling to the park and chasing around the neighbourhood with the neighbours' kids. He missed her interrogating him on every girl he brought home during his teenage years. Later as she grew older, he would do the same to her, scaring away every boy she brought home. He missed her provoking him by calling him sausage fingers while he operated on a patient in the battlefield.

He could recall the last conversation he had with her. She had been upset about Riggs cheating on her, but still managed to squeeze in a word of wisdom for him.

' Owen, I hope you find someone who would be your soulmate and companion for life. I hope you can build a happy family and future with her. Because you deserve it.' she had said as she hugged him tight before getting on the helicopter.

' Oh Megan - if only you got to meet Amelia.' he thought to himself. He was sure they would both get along great.

He took another sip of his Scotch as he wondered where she was now. Was she in hiding somewhere? Was she kidnapped and being held captive by the enemies all these years? If so, were they torturing her? Or…was she….he couldn't bring himself to think of the word 'dead.'

But if she was dead, wouldn't they have found her body? He didn't know. No one knew.

There was a knock at his front door.

Owen frowned, puzzled. Who could be visiting him and Amelia at this hour? Was it Meredith, Maggie or one of their colleagues?

He opened the door to come face to face with a buff man dressed in an army uniform.

' Hello, is this Dr. Owen Hunt?' he asked.

' Yes, it's me.' Owen answered, feeling a sense of trepidation. Surely this isn't good news, he could feel it.

' I'm Major William Allen.' the man introduced himself in a booming voice as he stiffly shook hands with Owen.

' Are you the elder brother of Dr. Megan Hunt?' he asked.

' Yes.' Owen answered in a small voice as he could feel his heart sinking. He had a very bad feeling about this- and he didn't want to hear what was coming next.

' I'm so sorry to inform you that we have found your sister's body today. The helicopter she was on was shot down in Iraq several years ago, but due to it being hostile territory, we could only manage to recover it now.'

At the Major's words- Owen's entire world collapsed. Even though he had tried to prepare himself for this possibility, now that her death was confirmed, he wasn't prepared for this moment. He had always clung on to the small possibility that she might be still alive and might return to him someday. And now- that hope was crushed just like that.

Owen remained silent as he stood there in a daze, a shocked and devastated expression on his face. He could barely register the Major's subsequent words.

' Her body was badly decomposed and beyond identification- we had to perform DNA testing.' Major William added. ' We guess the body had been there for a long time- probably many years. It was found near the helicopter wreckage, which leads us to believe that she might have died from the crash itself - if that's any consolation.'

' _If that's any consolation.'_

He wondered how could anything give him consolation upon receiving this devastating news about the confirmation of his sister's death. Maybe, the Major meant well. He understood, it would have been better for Megan to die from the crash itself than to die from being kept a Prisoner of War after all these years. He could never bring himself to imagine Megan having to go through all the torture had she still been alive. But still, the Major's words pierced through his heart like a double edged sword. His little sister, his only sister was gone. She was never coming back. He would never see her smile, hear her laughter or be provoked by her anymore.

' We'll help you to make her funeral arrangements.' the Major added in a serious tone.

Owen thanked the Major solemnly as he shook hands with him and closed the door behind him.

As soon as the front door was closed and locked, Owen sat on the couch with his head in his hands, silently mourning for his sister.

He wondered how the last minutes of her life were, and whether she died a slow, painless death. Did she think of him? Or of Riggs?

He lifted his head up from his hands and stared at the photo album full of photos and him and Megan, still placed on the couch. Now all that's left of her were just memories.

He knew that the first stage of grief was denial. Which was exactly what he felt at the moment. Maybe, just maybe he was dreaming and it was all just a nightmare. Maybe if he pinched himself, he would wake up from this nightmare, and Megan would appear to him alive and well the next day. Maybe he was just hallucinating, the Major was just a visual hallucination and the Major's words were just an auditory hallucination.

He progressed on quickly to the next stage of grief - anger. As if on reflex- his wrist slammed against the coffee table, knocking down his half empty glass of Scotch. Scotch spilled on the coffee table, but he didn't care. He was angry at the universe, angry at the God above for taking away his beloved sister from him. He was angry he didn't get a chance to say a final goodbye to her, angry at himself for letting her go on the helicopter in the first place. If only he had stopped her from getting on the helicopter- she would still be alive.

He threw the photo album across the living room and plunked back down on the couch, burying his head in his hands again, wrecked in silent sobs.

* * *

He didn't know how long he sat in that position. It might have been just minutes, or hours. Time seemed to stand still for him.

He jumped as he felt a warm comforting hand on his shoulder.

He looked up to see Amelia looking sympathetically at him.

' I heard.' she whispered, as she rubbed his arm soothingly. ' I rushed back right after April told me. 'I'm so sorry, Owen.' she added in a soft voice.

She had just finished reviewing a patient in the ER when she overhead April and a few residents talking about an army helicopter wreckage being discovered after so many years and several bodies being found. As she approached the group to learn more details, one name stood out for her, Megan Hunt. Upon hearing the name, she immediately rushed back home, asking April to page her if there were any incoming patients that needed Neuro consults. She knew that Owen needed her at that moment.

Owen looked up at her as their eyes met. His eyes were forlorn and filled with sadness, while hers were filled with sympathy and love.

He shook his head wordlessly, at loss of words to say to her. How could he tell her how receiving the news of a sibling's death felt like?

She pulled his body closer to her chest and hugged him tight as he finally broke down in her arms. The warmth of her touch and the feel of her heart beating broke down his defenses. He sobbed and sobbed, mourning for his sister. She rubbed his back soothingly in circular motions, knowing that the gesture would calm him down. She knew because he always performed the same gesture on her to calm her down, and now it was time for her to reciprocate.

' Its ok Owen.' she whispered as she continued rubbing his back in soothing circles. ' Just cry, let it all out. I know you miss her. I'm here for you.'

Amelia's comforting voice only made him sob harder in her arms. He sobbed, letting out all the emotions he had kept buried inside for so long. He had never told anyone else besides Amelia about Megan. He couldn't possibly talk to Riggs about her- it would be too awkward. He never told anyone this, but he would often dream of her being shot in the battlefield and would wake up screaming and sweaty. Only Amelia and Cristina knew about his condition. He had been to the psychiatrist and was diagnosed with PTSD. However, there was little that the psychiatrist could do to treat it. When Amelia left for a few months- those few months when he would wake up alone, screaming after having a nightmare were the loneliest months of his life.

' I know- you didn't manage to say goodbye to her.' she said softly, as she rubbed his arm. ' I didn't manage to say goodbye to Derek as well. I miss him so much too.'

Owen finally looked up at Amelia, as the realization dawned upon him that they both had something in common, they had both lost a sibling.

' How do you get over the loss of a sibling?' Owen asked, as he looked up at her with teary eyes.

' You don't get over it, the pain will remain with you for the rest of your life.' she answered sadly. ' It would dull over time, but there is this ache that remains. I miss Derek too and think of him all the time.'

' For years I was clinging on to the tiny bit of hope that she might still be alive.' Owen admitted, a downcast and crestfallen look on his face. ' And tonight that tiny glimpse of hope I had was crushed. I miss her so much. We had so many wonderful memories together. She's my only sister, my only sibling.' he shook his head sadly.

' I know.' Amelia whispered softly, nodding her head in an understanding manner.

' I shouldn't have let her get on the helicopter.' he said angrily. ' Had I prevented her from doing so, she would still be alive right now. It's my fault.'

' It's not your fault, Owen.' said Amelia earnestly as she held his hands in hers.

' It IS my fault.' Owen insisted, frowning.

' Owen, look here.' said Amelia as she cupped his face in her hands, tilting his head upwards so their eyes met.

' It's not your fault, Owen. You wouldn't have known that the helicopter would crash. I'm sure if you knew, you wouldn't have let her get on it.' said Amelia as she continued looking into his eyes.

' They said that they found her body near the wreckage site. I really hope that she didn't suffer too much before she…died..' said Owen sadly, a distant look in his eyes.

' I hope so too.' said Amelia softly, taking his hands in hers and using her thumb to rub soothing motions on the palm of his hands. ' I'm not religious, but I would like to think that she's in a better place. That's what I do to cheer myself up- I tell myself that my dad, Ryan, my first baby and Derek are all up in heaven, watching and smiling down at us.'

Owen closed his eyes for a moment as he tried to imagine Megan smiling down at him from heaven with her beautiful smile. He wasn't by any means religious, but he had to admit, it was a comforting thought indeed. And maybe, his and Cristina's aborted child was also with her, smiling down at him. Maybe Megan was taking care of his child in heaven.

They both sat in silence on the couch, thinking about their loved ones in heaven. Amelia's head was leaned against Owen's chest as she cuddled up close to him.

Amelia's hand covered Owen's as she slowly guided his hand until it rested on her growing baby bump. Over the past two weeks, the bump had grown significantly, and now more than half the hospital knew her secret.

She placed her hand over his, as both of them savored the feel of their baby under their touch.

It was then that Owen realized he had to let go of his sister, she was never coming back. It saddened him deeply, but he knew that Megan would always be with him- in his heart, and smiling down at him and his family. He loved her so much, she was his only sister and she occupied a special place in his heart. However, he knew that she was never returning to him and he had to move on. At least this was the sense of closure he needed, as sad as it was. Megan was his past, but Amelia and their baby are his future.

It was Amelia whom he would lean to for support during Megan's funeral, and throughout the subsequent years when he would think of her. Life went on though, and he knew that Megan was smiling down at him, watching him build his family as Charlotte, Noah and Olivia arrived. Megan would live through his youngest daughter, Olivia, whose middle name was Megan after her aunt Megan. As she grew, he would notice more and more of her aunt Megan's characteristics in her, not only in terms of appearance, but also personality. He knew that It was Megan's way of telling him that she was never truly gone.

 **Comments, reviews, and messages are very much appreciated! :)**


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